Description
Untrusted search path vulnerability in ssh-agent.c in ssh-agent in OpenSSH before 7.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary local PKCS#11 modules by leveraging control over a forwarded agent-socket.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | openssh | 1:7.4p1-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | openssh | 1:7.4p1-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | openssh | 1:7.4p1-1 | — |
| Debian 8 | openssh | 1:6.7p1-5+deb8u6 | DLA-1500-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | openssh | 1:7.2p2-4ubuntu2.4 | USN-3538-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | openssh | 1:6.6p1-2ubuntu2.10 | USN-3538-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | openssh +7 | 7.4p1-11.el7 | RHSA-2017:2029 |
| RHEL 7 | pam_ssh_agent_auth | 0.10.3-1.11.el7 | RHSA-2017:2029 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP2 | openssh | 7.2p2-66.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0264-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 7.2p2-66.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0264-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-54.7.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0607-2, SUSE-SU-2017:0607-1 |
| SLES 12 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-54.7.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0607-3 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | openssh | 6.6p1-35.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0603-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.6p1-35.4 | SUSE-SU-2017:0603-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.40.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 11 | openssh-openssl1 | 6.6p1-18.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:1661-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | openssh | 7.2p2-66.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0264-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 7.2p2-66.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0264-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-54.7.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0607-2, SUSE-SU-2017:0607-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | openssh +1 | 6.6p1-54.7.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0607-2 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | openssh | 6.6p1-35.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0603-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.6p1-35.4 | SUSE-SU-2017:0603-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.40.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.40.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.40.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | openssh | 6.2p2-0.40.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | openssh-askpass-gnome | 6.2p2-0.40.3 | SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | openssh | 8.4p1-7.4 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11124-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
Show 17 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.9 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.8 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.7 | openssh | 7.5_p1-r8 | — |
| Alpine v3.6 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.5 | openssh | 7.4_p1-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.4 | openssh | 7.2_p2-r4 | — |
| Alpine v3.3 | openssh | 7.2_p2-r3 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | openssh +7 | 7.4p1-11.el7 | ELSA-2017-2029 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | pam_ssh_agent_auth | 0.10.3-1.11.el7 | ELSA-2017-2029 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- OpenSSH < 7.4 - agent Protocol Arbitrary Library Loading EDB-40963 · remote · Dec 23, 2016 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 17
- RHSA-2017:2029 Red Hat Security Advisory: openssh security, bug fix, and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-3538-1 openssh vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Jun 1, 2026
- DLA-1500-1 openssh - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0603-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0264-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11124-1 openssh-8.4p1-7.4 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0606-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0607-3 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0607-2 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0607-1 Security update for openssh SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- WID-SEC-2023-1996 OpenSSH: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jan 12, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:1661-1 Security update for openssh-openssl1 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- 2NGA002579 ABB Arctic communication solution ARM600 Vulnerabilities ABB PSIRT · Apr 7, 2025
- ICSA-25-105-08 ABB M2M Gateway CISA ICS & IT advisories · Apr 7, 2025
- ICSA-22-349-21 Siemens SCALANCE X-200RNA Switch Devices CISA ICS & IT advisories · Dec 13, 2022
- SSA-412672 SSA-412672: Multiple OpenSSL and OpenSSH Vulnerabilities in SCALANCE X-200RNA Switch Devices before V3.2.7 Siemens ProductCERT · Dec 13, 2022
- ELSA-2017-2029 Moderate: openssh security, bug fix, and enhancement update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 7, 2017
References
- https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/9476ce1dd37d3c3218d5640b74c34c65e5f4efe5
- 40963 exploit
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20171130-0002/
- 94968 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20161219 Announce: OpenSSH 7.4 released mailing-list
- 1037490 vdb-entry
- https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbux03818en_us
- FreeBSD-SA-17:01 vendor-advisory
- USN-3538-1 vendor-advisory
- http://www.slackware.com/security/viewer.php?l=slackware-security&y=2016&m=slackware-security.647637
- RHSA-2017:2029 vendor-advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140261/OpenSSH-Arbitrary-Library-Loading.html
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180910 [SECURITY] [DLA 1500-1] openssh security update mailing-list
- https://www.openssh.com/txt/release-7.4
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1009
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-412672.pdf
- [oss-security] 20230719 CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH's forwarded ssh-agent mailing-list
- 20230719 CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH's forwarded ssh-agent mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20230719 Re: CVE-2023-38408: Remote Code Execution in OpenSSH's forwarded ssh-agent mailing-list
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/173661/OpenSSH-Forwarded-SSH-Agent-Remote-Code-Execution.html